“Driveway Moments” happen when you’re listening to NPR while driving, get to your destination before the story is over, and you stay in the car just to hear the end. I’ve had a LOT of driveway moments over the years, and I really love NPR for that, but this week I had one that will stay with me for a long time.

Run DMC was the first rap group to go gold, the first to go platinum, and the first to appear on MTV, Saturday Night Live, and the cover of Rolling Stone. Their work was fresh, exciting, and it broke down the boundaries between rock and rap.

Their music was an integral part of my youth, so when I slipped into the driver’s seat and heard Darryl “DMC” McDaniels on NPR, I turned the radio up, expecting an interesting interview about the music industry or an unknown facet of life with Run DMC.

What I heard instead was the deeply personal account of his struggle with suicidal thoughts, a multi-year saga of Sarah McLachlan’s music saving his life, and how everything happens for a reason. His story was poignant, improbably funny, and utterly inspiring. I stayed in the driveway for six minutes just to hear the end, ensuring the neighbors think I’m strange. Take 15 minutes and listen for yourself.

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